I've gotta get a dish

There are these ads running on RCN cable lately that are designed to teach people how easy it is to use their RCN voicemail. I'm thinking that these little promos run when the RCN people haven't sold enough ads.

Anyway, they are so bad that they I have to write about them.

This Troy McClure wannabe appears, tells us that his name is Jim O'Connor and that he is so excited about teaching us about voicemail.

Then he tells you that all you have to do to set your password is dial your local voicemail access number. If you're prompted for a password and haven't yet set one up, then it's the last four digits of your phone number. Then to set your passord hit U, then P, then a 4- to 10-digit number, then pound, and X. Then to set your message you hit U, then G, record the message, press pound, then R, then X, then to set your name, hit U, then N, record your name, press pound, then X, then X again.

No joke, he really says all this. And he's flying through it, too.

Now remember, these ads are aimed at people too stupid to figure out their own voicemail. Are these same people who can't follow voiceprompts so savant-like they can memorize 30 seconds of arcane instruction?

This commercial is so bad that I initially thought it was a joke. If you haven't seen it, might I suggest that you switch your cable provider to RCN just so you have a chance.